Optimal Emotional Health

Building a Storehouse of Healthy Habits

Scenario 1
Your doctor’s appointment for a physical examination begins 60 minutes after its scheduled time. The doctor spends 12 minutes with you. Most of your concerns go unanswered. Your body’s alert system has moved to a moderately high stress zone.

Scenario 2
You are the primary caregiver for your chronically ill mother. The stress of caring for her has taken its toll on your health, work, and relationships. Your body’s alert system is in a high stress zone.

Scenario 3
You were just notified that your mammogram shows something “suspicion looking.” Biopsy is recommended but no appointments are available for 10 days. Sleepless nights start. Body alert goes off. Ten days later, biopsy reveals breast cancer. Your body’s alert system is overwhelmed.

Emotional stress can disrupt one’s physical and mental well-being and may cause depression, anger, denial, worry, as well as physical illness. In fact, emotional stress and physical illness are interrelated and interdependent.

As an internal medicine specialist, I remind patients about the mind, body, and spirit connection. And, regularly encourage professional counseling. I explain that the best health outcomes occur when all parts are being cared for and in balance. And, I share with patients why this is important.

In response to threatening situations, the body releases large quantities of hormones and chemicals into the bloodstream. When this happens, the heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar, and respiratory rate increase. This allows more oxygen to be pumped into the bloodstream to supply muscles with energy needed to respond to the threat.

Scientist and psychologist call this the “Flight, Fright, or Fight phenomenon.” This God-given protective phenomenon provides human beings with super human physical or emotional strength to handle sudden threats. Once the threat has been resolved, the heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar, and respiratory rate return to a normal resting state.

This type of response was perfect in past centuries when a threat from the environment or nature occurred (untamed animals, fires, flooding). As soon as the threat was eliminated the blood pressure, blood sugar, heart, and respiratory rate would return to normal.

While these situations occur in today’s society, they are less frequent but exciting to read about. For example: In 2012, a TV news reports how a 22-year-old woman is able to mount superhero strength to lift a car off her father, who became pinned under the car while trying to fix a blown tire. Ordinarily, there is no way for a lady to lift a car. But, the “Flight, Fright, or Fight phenomenon” produces this super human strength.

In another case report, in 2006, In Ivujivik, Quebec, a mother sees a polar bear advancing toward her son and another boy playing hockey. She tackles the bear while the boys run for help. While she did suffer some wounds, she was able to spar with it long enough until a neighbor shot and killed the bear. In both instances, once the excitement levels off, their body’s hormone levels return to normal, which in turn lower blood pressure, sugar, respiratory and heart rate.

In the same way that environmental threats cause the body to produce large amounts of hormones to prepare for action; emotional stressors release these same hormones and chemicals into the bloodstream. However, in this fast-paced time constraint society, with multiple stressors, there is the potential for continuous release of hormones.

As a result, the body’s alert system (Flight, Fright, or Fight phenomenon) remains stimulated and unhealthy outcomes are more likely to occur. This is because ongoing stimulation causes blood vessels to become inflamed; arteries get smaller causing high blood pressure. Plaque and cholesterol build up in blood vessels increasing the risk for heart attacks. Other factors contributing to inflamed blood vessels include unhealthy foods; uncontrolled blood sugars, sleep deprivation, physical inactivity, cigarette smoking, Hookah use, and alcohol overuse.

To be sure, emotional stress is a natural part of life. It becomes unnatural when the body remains in an aroused state. Building a storehouse of healthy habits is a prevention strategy that enhances emotional health. These strategies help you feel good while at the same time keeps hormone levels from becoming chronically over stimulated.

Moreover, this storehouse of healthy habits build sustainability power. Now, your responses are filled with vigor, insight, skill, love, and respect for your total well-being even when there are long waits in the doctor’s office, caregiver responsibilities, or upon hearing challenging health news.

Here are 6 healthy habits to consider placing in your storehouse of healthy habits that help keep stress hormones normalized:

1. Meditation–This is a habit that helps to de-clutter the mind. It is a time to be still and quiet. Here is my path to meditation:

• Sit upright in a comfortable chair. Place your hands on your lap with palms facing upward. Relax your legs and feet to your liking.
• Turn off the, computer, phones, pads, TV and radio. Set a stop watch to how long you want to meditate
• Start slow. As you move along, increase the time spent in meditation.
• My goal is 20 minutes twice a day (Russell Simmons advice). Right now, I meditate 20 minutes each day.
• Sometimes I incorporate meditation tools by experts (Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey).
• Most times, I select my own Mantra (usually spiritual words like God, Jesus, Yahweh). When thoughts pop up in my head, I repeat my Mantra. It is amazing how clutter thoughts vanish
• When the timer goes off, I am done, feel marvelous, and at peace.

2. Prayer–This habit helps to strengthen one’s relationship with the Almighty Sovereign God.

• Prayer changes “me.”
• Prayer changes my response to life circumstances.
• The effectual glowing prayers of a righteous man/woman are beneficial paraphrased John 5:16 the New Living Translation Bible

3. Reading and memorizing positive prayers, poems, or biblical passages is another meditation technique. Memorizing does take time and patience! You can find any of these poems or prayers by just using Google on the internet. Here are some of my favorites:

• The Prayer of St. Francis
• If by Rudyard Kipling
• The Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr
• 1 Corinthians 13 on Love
• The Fence (around the cliff) or the Ambulance (in the valley) by Joseph Malines
• I’d Rather See a Sermon by Edgar A Guest

4. Create Optimal Physical Health. I refer the reader to my blog on Optimal Physical Health at https://www.wholelifehealthcaresolutions.com/?page_id=102. It details three critical strategies for helping to achieve optimal physical health (Rest/sleep, healthy foods, and physical activity)

5. Annual physical examination

• Check in with your personal care physician to ensure you are up-to-date with screenings for cancer, immunizations (based on your age and risk factors).
• Check in with your dentist twice a year. Don’t forget that oral health is connected to your physical health.
• Check in with an eye specialist (optometrist or ophthalmologist). They can find glaucoma or changes from diabetes. Both can cause blindness.

6. Annual mental examination
Consider checking in with a certified professional counselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist at least once a year. Remember, we are body, mind, and spirit. It is challenging to maintain a healthy body when the mind and spirit are not in alignment.

“I have learned the secret of contentment in all situations” paraphrased from the New Living Translation Bible 4:12. What are your secrets to contentment?